Monday, July 23, 2012

Why I own an assult rifle.

The tragedy and senseless violence that occurred in Aurora last week has renewed the anti-gun argument. Sen. Dianne Feinstein reiterated the position of an assault rifle ban on Fox News. She asks, "Why should we have military style weapons available to citizens?" She makes the point that assault weapons are not for hunting. Such weapons with multi-round magazines certainly make it easier to do greater damage in the hands of a mad man. These arguments sound sane during a tragedy like this. But I would have you consider: why should we blame the gun instead of the sinful human who used it. Sunday in Texas 23 people were packed into a truck both in the crew cab and bed. It went off the road crashing and killing 14 people and injuring 9. Do we blame the Ford truck? Do we call for a ban on trucks? Our constitution tells us we have the right "to keep and bear arms". The founders were not talking about hunting. They were talking about the citizens right to defend their freedoms, their families, their property and their country. It is the final check in a check and balance system. I have an assault rifle. I keep it well oiled and with several magazines at the ready. I enjoy shooting it, but target shooting is not the reason I own it. I enjoy collecting firearms, but collecting is not the reason I own it. I own it in the case of an emergency. If some disaster happens and there is looting and rioting, my assault rifle is my weapon of choice to defend my family, friends and property. If, God forbid, there was ever a civil war or uprising, my assault rifle is at the ready for the protection of family, friends and property. I hope I never have to use it for such purposes but it is far better that I should have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. The guy who shot those people in the movie theater is a villain. There are villains all around this world doing evil things. The response should not be the control of firearms but the control of self. We need a renewed morality in our country that is based on the Bible. Teaching young people to esteem others better than themselves. This would be a far better remedy for violence than taking away our freedoms.